1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technology for a process that uses a recognition result of a speech utterance of a user.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, a function designed to allow a user to more smoothly operate a device through a conversation with a character (a so-called agent function) is well known. For example, when the user says “restaurant” in response to a question about a destination asked by a character displayed on a screen of a car navigation device, the technology narrows down and sets a restaurant located near as a designation of the route guidance. By using such an agent function, the user can operate the device or can search information more easily through the conversation with the character. For smooth communication between the user and the character in the agent function, it is recommended that a process of displaying a character image in motion and a process of asking various questions should be continuously performed.
However, if the character image is continuously displayed, there is a case where the process of displaying the image and a process of receiving the speech utterance of the user are concurrently performed. In this case, there is a possibility that the process is stopped (a so-called freeze state) because the device is overloaded and thus the motion of the character in the image may be stopped during receipt of the speech utterance. When the motion of the character in the image is stopped, the smooth communication between the user and the character is disrupted. As a result, the agent function designed for an easy operation of the device through a conversation with the character may not fully produce an effect.